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Following another season among Iowa’s best basketball teams, it was time for change for a future Hall of Fame coach on Eagle Lane. Larry Hessing announced earlier this spring he would retire after 27 seasons leading Pella Christian and keeping the team among the state’s elite in Class 2A. Hessing says while he was ready to leave teaching math and retire from full-time duty in the classroom, his heart still wanted to be a coach, but after the school added a basketball minded teacher in another department, now Head Coach J.D. Boer — it became apparent to him that it was time to move on.

Hessing finishes with a career record of 456-188 while coaching Pella Christian and 650 career wins overall in 39 years in high school basketball. Larry guided Pella Christian to 12 state tournament appearances (including 2020) — 4th all-time among Iowa High School Coaches, and his 16 tournament wins ranked 8th most among all head coaches coming into the 2020 state tournament.

Find the full interview below: